In producing petroleum and other useful fluids from production wells, it is generally known to provide a submergible pumping system, such as an electric submergible pumping system, for raising the fluids collected in a well. Typically, production fluids enter a wellbore via perforations made in a well casing adjacent a production formation. Fluids contained in the formation collect in the wellbore and may be raised by the pumping system to a collection point above the earth's surface. The submergible pumping systems can also be used to move the fluid from one zone to another.
In an exemplary submergible pumping system, the system includes several components, such as a submergible electric motor that supplies energy to a submergible pump. The system may further include additional components, such as a motor protector for isolating the motor oil from well fluids. A connector also is used to connect the pumping system to a deployment system, such as cable, coil tubing or production tubing.
Power is supplied to the submergible electric motor via a power cable that runs along the deployment system. For example, the power cable may be banded to the outside of the coil tubing or production tubing and run into the well for electrical connection with the submergible motor.
In some wellbore environments, the desired fluids are highly viscous. The high viscosity creates difficulty in utilizing conventional submergible pumps, such as centrifugal pumps, for pumping the fluids to another zone or to the surface of the earth. It would be advantageous to have a system and method for reducing the viscosity of the fluid, such as petroleum, to facilitate movement, e.g. pumping of the fluid.